I think it would be so highly unlikely that a 20th level character would fumble and kill themselves that it likely wouldn't ever happen.

But that doesn't mean you couldn't play a 1 off as:- the bowstring breaks (this could be a lengthy repair, as the required materials for replacing a +2 longbow of Accuracy bowstring include the heartstring of a hippogriff and the gut lining of a giant python)- the opponent's last hit sends a shock of vibrations through his hand that cause him to drop his sword- the melee weapon breaks (if non-magical or low-magical in nature), 'cause nothing lasts forever... not even non-relic magical items.

I like the idea of a critical hit being additional damage or maybe having a similar effect as if the opponent had a critical miss and the critical miss being more of a really untimely misfortune to the character's situation.

Since D&D combat has to be partially abstracted anyway, maybe fumble results can also be abstracted. Dealing damage to yourself or dropping your weapon doesn't have to mean that the fighter did that through his own clumsiness, it could just as easily mean that his attack inadvertently exposed his guard instead of pressing the advantage, or maybe the opponent got a lucky riposte in for a strike or disarm, or the tempo shifted and he has to take time to reset.

Against the argument, "Well then why do you roll damage against your own weapon instead of the opponent's?" I would say this reflects how the bigger your weapon is, the more dangerous it is to let your opponent inside your guard.

Since D&D combat has to be partially abstracted anyway, maybe fumble results can also be abstracted. Dealing damage to yourself or dropping your weapon doesn't have to mean that the fighter did that through his own clumsiness, it could just as easily mean that his attack inadvertently exposed his guard instead of pressing the advantage, or maybe the opponent got a lucky riposte in for a strike or disarm, or the tempo shifted and he has to take time to reset.

Against the argument, "Well then why do you roll damage against your own weapon instead of the opponent's?" I would say this reflects how the bigger your weapon is, the more dangerous it is to let your opponent inside your guard.

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